21 May Five Best Hong Kong Cocktail Bars
Those of you who’ve explored Hong Kong by day or night with our senior director Daniel Cheung know that he is the authority par excellence when it comes to Hong Kong mixology. With new craft cocktail bars opening, like, every five minutes, it can be hard to separate the good from the bad and ugly. Do check out Daniel’s short list before you head out for your special evening. (Even better, book a cocktail crawl walk with Little Adventures and let Daniel introduce you himself to his pals behind Hong Kong’s best bars.)
Read on.
Hong Kong’s Top 5 Cocktail Bars (curated by LAHK’s Daniel Cheung)
1. Butler
Butler may be the most spectacular bar in Hong Kong–it certainly is the most discreet! They don’t even have a website, but nevertheless their 20 seats are almost always filled with discerning clients who know that this is the place to experience Hong Kong’s most sophisticated mixology. (Needless to say, Butler is a must-book-ahead kind of place). Attention to detail and meticulous bartending skills set Butler apart from the pack. They also maintain an astonishing variety of rare spirits–the last time we went we sampled a rare Japanese whiskey that was out of production. Butler’s mixologists are so good that they can design a drink for you on the spot, guided only by your choice of spirit and flavors.
Butler
5/F, Mody House, 30 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong (no credit cards!)
2724 3828
2. The Woods
For creative cocktails filled with unexpected ingredients, head to this cozy basement speakeasy-like establishment in the heart of SoHo. The Woods excels in its use of natural and infused flavors. Their Negroni is made with beetroot-infused Tanqueray, and other cocktails include fresh herbal and spice laced syrups. There’s no need to move on from here to dinner, either–The Woods offers an unusual Prix Fixe dinner/cocktail evening, where you can enjoy exploring flavors across a four course culinary and cocktail pairing.
2522 0281
3. The Pawn
Beautifully crafted homemade botanical bitters, a terrific selection of gin, and a superb location in a restored 1888 Hong Kong shop house make The Pawn our go-to bar in Wanchai. (We also rely on it for pre-dinner drinks when we host guests on our Guided Dining programs.) Head straight for the lovely balcony that overlooks busy Johnston Road, and watch the Hong Kong night unfold! (Secret tip: make sure to visit the roof of the Pawn building. It’s accessible from the bar or from a streetside elevator, and is open to the public.
62 Johnston Road, Wan Chai
2866 3444
4. Okra Hong Kong
The casual izakaya on Queens Road has practically become the Little Adventures team clubhouse, in no small part due to the congeniality and mad chef skills of owner Max Levy. While it’s famous for its unusual take on sushi, sashimi and Japanese small bites, Okra also throws down some of Hong Kong’s most creative original and seasonal cocktails–like an aged Negroni with smoked bamboo leaves. This, together with Okra’s extensive selection of sakes (many created especially for the restaurant) is why it’s been so hard to tear us away from this bar!
5. Cafe Grey Bar at Upper House
Our guests often ask us to recommend a good cocktail bar from which to watch our fabulous Hong Kong sunset. We send them directly to Cafe Grey Bar. Not only does it have views, views and views of the magnificent harbour, it is also a splendid choice for drinks and nibbles (make sure to try the beef tartare) AND it’s conveniently located on Hong Kong island. We’ll let the above picture fill in the rest of the 10,000 words.
88 Queensway Central (Pacific Place, inside the Upper House hotel)
3968 1106